Candidates for public office may be nominated by political party nomination or independent nomination. Democratic and Republican candidates must run in the primary election to secure their party’s nomination. Candidates of other recognized Kansas political parties (currently Libertarian, No Labels Kansas and United Kansas) do not run in the primary and are nominated for the general election by party caucus or convention. Independent candidates do not run in the primary and may only file to run for office by petition. Candidates for national, state, legislative and judicial offices must file their candidacy with the Secretary of State. A candidate is not considered filed until their petition or declaration and fee is received by the Secretary of State (K.S.A. 25-208). Candidates must file by petition or filing fee.
Candidate Filing Deadlines
- Primary Election: 12:00 p.m. Monday, June 1, 2026
- Independent Nominations: 12:00 p.m. Monday, August 3, 2026
Offices to be Elected or Retained in 2026
- 1 U.S. Senator
- All 4 U.S. Representatives
- Governor/Lt. Governor
- Secretary of State
- Attorney General
- State Treasurer
- Commissioner of Insurance
- Senate District 24
- All 125 State Representatives
- State Board of Education (1, 3, 5, 7, 9)
- 1 Kansas Supreme Court Justice (as of July 1, 2025)
- 6 Kansas Court of Appeals Judges (as of July 1, 2025)
- District Court Judges (45 retained, 29 elected) (as of July 1, 2025)
- District Magistrate Judges (15 retained, 5 elected) (as of July 1, 2025)
Candidate Filing Fees
| Office | Filing Fee | PDC/SOS Fee | Total Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Senator | $1,740 | $20 | $1,760 |
| U.S. Representative | $1,740 | $20 | $1,760 |
| Governor/Lt. Governor | $1,740/$430 | $670 | $2,840 |
| Secretary of State | $1,610 | $670 | $2,280 |
| Attorney General | $1,697 | $670 | $2,367 |
| State Treasurer | $1,610 | $670 | $2,280 |
| Commissioner of Insurance | $1,610 | $670 | $2,280 |
| State Senate | $75 | $70 | $145 |
| State Representative | $50 | $70 | $120 |
| State Board of Education | $25 | $70 | $95 |
| Court of Appeals1 | N/A | $20 | $20 |
| District Court Judge1 | $1,875 | $70 | $1,945 |
| District Magistrate Judge1 | $100 | $70 | $170 |
| County Officers | 1% of salary - $5 minimum | $50 | N/A |
| Township Officers | $1 | N/A | $1 |
| 1 Judicial officers who are appointed an retained in office, rather than elected, pay only the GEC/SOS fee. | |||
| Salary Information/Filing fee information Sources: U.S. Secretary of the Senate; U.S. House of Representatives Chief Clerk; Kansas Division of Personnel Services; Kansas Office of Judicial Administration; Kansas Public Disclosure Commission. | |||
Candidate Petition Requirements
| Office | Party Candidates | Independent Candidates1 |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Senator | 1% party | 5,000 |
| U.S. Representative | $2% party | 4% or 5,000 |
| Governor/Lt. Governor | 1% party | 5,000 |
| Secretary of State | 1% party | 5,000 |
| Attorney General | 1% party | 5,000 |
| State Treasurer | 1% party | 5,000 |
| Commissioner of Insurance | 1% party | 5,000 |
| State Senate | 2% party | 4% voters |
| State Representative | 2% party | 4% voters |
| State Board of Education | 200 voters | 200 voters |
| Court of Appeals | N/A | N/A |
| District Court Judge | 2% party | 4% voters |
| District Magistrate Judge | 2% party | 4% voters |
| County Officers | 3% party | 4% voters |
| Township Officers | 3% party | 10 or 5% |
| 1 Independent candidates may file for office only by petition. Upon filing a valid petition and paying the GEC/SOS fee, the candidate’s name will be placed directly on the general ballot. An independent candidate must be registered as an unaffiliated voter. Percent requirements for petitions are based upon the total number of registered voters in the district as provided by KSA 25-205 and 25-303. | ||
